But first, Sleep
by Darkling Princess
Summary: We wish we had more sleep, more often. Clary Fray wishes the opposite. She's diagnosed with a rare sleeping disorder; Narcolepsy. She falls asleep at random times in a day. Her mom's deciding to foster and a mysterious epidemic is spreading through her school, how'll she handle it? Especially with her brother becoming more and more absent. You don't need to have read the book.
1. Arrival Day

**Thank you for deciding to try out my story. I wasn't very happy with my first one so I decided to try again. I really hope you like it. This is one of the shorter chapters so don't be discouraged by the size. Every person who reviews, favorites, or follows this story get to ask for a little scene, or a maybe the brief inclusion of a character from another book, or something like that. I am a semi slow typer, but I will try my best to make constant updates. **

**Anyways enjoy.**

**-Darkling Princess**

* * *

Arrival Day

I can't move.

I'm in my bedroom. My alarm had gone off signaling another day of psychological torture also know as school. I had groaned inwardly and tried to reach to shut off my alarm, only-my arm seemed to have a different idea. I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't obey my commands, and I could only lie, as inanimate as rock, while my alarm screeched into my ear.

That wasn't the first time it had happened, but that didn't make it any less terrifying. It felt like my body just decide to take a smoke break or something without notice and forgot to come back in time. It wasn't pleasant.

Usually my brother or my mother would hear my alarm and come to check on me, or I would be back to normal before they had the chance, but this time neither happened, and I just laid there helpless. After about ten minutes I regained control of my body and climbed out of bed, and immediately shutting off my alarm. I didn't know why my mother and brother didn't come to help me, they usually come immediately. I hurriedly pull on some clothes before racing out my room in search of them, but I don't have to go very far because I found them in the living room.

I spot my mom first. Her red hair stands out starkly against the white walls of our living room. She's talking to...a boy? I've never seen him before, and then it hits me.

Today's arrival day.

Let me explain.

My mother is an extremely giving person, give her a hairless cat while she's homeless that you found half dead in the garbage, and she'll nurse it back to health, and put it's every need above her own. My brother John and I often joke that as soon as we leave for college she'll start an orphanage in our absence, and I wouldn't be surprised if we were right. A few months ago my mother decided she wanted to try fostering children, mostly kids near John's and my age. I was against the idea from the start. My mom has enough on her plate with me, she didn't need to add another kid to the mix, but she was so inspired by her best friend Maryse, who adopted a kid and he grew to become part of their family. She totally ignored my protests.

Not to mention this stranger is going to have to learn to deal with my condition. I was diagnosed as narcoleptic. I'm prone to sleep paralysis, sometimes my muscles stop working properly, and occasionally I hallucinate, although one thing separating me from a typical narcoleptic is the fact that I simply pass out without warning. I could be doing literally anything, showering, eating, going downstairs and I'll just faint right then and there. My brother has all of my classes, and he with me almost all the time in school, and I also have practically no independence, I can't go anywhere alone or drive _ever, _and now enter this stranger who will living with me-us for an undisclosed amount of time.

Do you understand why this is a bad idea?

I realize my clothes are extremely wrinkled, my hair is unruly, and I may or may not have slobber on my arm, so I turn to discreetly walk away. Before I can attempt this, the boy and I lock eyes. I finally look at him while my face colors itself red. He has slicked back dyed white hair, he seems tall, even sitting down, but what's unnerving about him is his black eyes. I'm not joking. They're black. Otherwise he's cute. I guess.

He smiles at me. I half-smile back. He turns back to my mom, and motions towards me. "This must be your daughter." He nods at me. "Clarissa is it?" He speaks with a slight French accent.

I reluctantly take a seat on the sofa next to my mom before answering. "Yeah, but I go by Clary. Clarissa's too formal."

He smiles. "I think it's a beautiful name."

I blush a deeper shade of red.

I dip my head in acknowledgement of the compliment. "What's your name?" My voice comes out croaky from sleep, but I immediately clear my throat and repeat the question.

"Sebastian," He says.

"Looking forward to getting to know you Sebastian."

"And I you."

My mom seems satisfied with this interaction, and stands up. "Well nice to meet you Sebastian, help yourself to the kitchen, if you get hungry..." She walks to the door to grab her purse. It's then that I notice she's fully dressed. She's probably headed to work, but I still haven't seen John. My mom turns her attention to me. "Clary it snowed last night so school is canceled. I'm headed across the street to grab some groceries-"

"Mom, where's John?" Jonathon is my older brother, he looks out for me, when my mom is gone. She must hear the confusion in my voice, because she stops to answer me.

"He's almost finished shoveling the driveway, he'll be inside in a few minutes. Alright? Bye." She then unlocks the door and heads out, some of the heat following her too. I stand and turn to head back to my room.

Sebastian follows. "Do you think you could show me to my room?" He motions towards a couple of duffel bags by the door. "I need to unpack."

"Sure, come on." We both grab a bag or two and I lead the way down the hall, and upstairs.

My mother spent weeks preparing the room, she made it gender neutral, because she didn't know who we would be taking in. My room is downstairs, it used to be upstairs, but when I sprained my wrist falling asleep while going downstairs we decided I should relocate. Sebastian is actually getting my old room.

We reach his room, and toss his bags onto the bed. He glances around the room. It's relatively large, centered by a full sized bed with nightstands on each side. The walls are cream colored, and the rug, comforter, and curtains are all varying shades of green. One of my mother's paintings adorn a wall, and a green vase of flowers sits on a corner desk on the opposite end of the room.

I watch him. "What do you think?"

He looks at me and smiles softly. "It's lovely." I smile back. Right at that moment I hear the door open and shut. I turn and head out of the room to go help my brother. He's pretty sensitive to the cold so, whenever he has to shovel the driveway, as soon as he gets inside I make him hot cocoa. It's a little tradition we have, although we haven't been following it lately because of the lack of snow, and his frequent absence. I distantly wonder if he's met Sebastian yet, but if not he can meet him now.

I reach the bottom of the stairs, and head into the kitchen. "Mini marshmallows or large?" I call out.

"I think you know the answer to that question Clare." I smile to myself and open one of our wooden cabinets to reach for the large ones. I turn to Sebastian, who followed me downstairs. He's preparing some ramen noodles from the cupboard. "Do you want-"

* * *

"Any?"

I blink, and sit up. I'm lying down on the couch with my head in John's lap. The TV is on and John looks down at me with his big forest green eyes, realizing I'm awake. "You fell asleep."

I nod slowly, and turn in his direction a bit. "Did I hit my head?"

He shakes his head. "Sebastian caught you."

I nod again, and lay my head back down, placing my hand on my forehead and shutting my eyes, waiting for the initial wave of dizziness to fade off. Sebastian is gone, he probably went to finish unpacking. God. I meet him looking like I woke from the dead, and then pass out for no apparent reason, I really need to work on first impressions. I now turn my attention to the TV, curious as to what John is watching, only to find him watching Now You See Me 2 for what must be the 600th time.

"I swear, if you keep watching this, I'm just going to buy you a deck of cards for your birthday, and tell you they're the original ones from the movie."

He shakes his head, half of his focus still on the movie. "You'd be better off getting me a bottle of water. Daniel is my favorite, not Jack."

"Oh."

I start to notice John's appearance. He has a red nose and a serious case of the sniffles, I regret not having made him hot chocolate. I also feel pretty resentful about the fact this would have been the first day in weeks we've had together, and I missed out because of this _condition_. We watch the movie in silence for a few more minutes before John decides to speak up again. "He didn't know."

I look up at him. "Who didn't know what?"

He inhales, sniffs, and pauses the movie. "Sebastian didn't know about your condition."

I frown and sit up to be at eye level with him, or close to it. He's a couple inches taller than me, although we're both abnormally short. The dizziness has thankfully faded away, so I turn towards him. "Mom didn't tell him? And just say it; He didn't know I have narcolepsy."

John winces at my bluntness, but continues. "No she didn't tell him, I had to, and afterwards he said he needed to go unpack. He's been in his room since."

When I don't say anything for a moment, he resumes the movie. I sit for a minute, imagining how Sebastian must feel. Being in a new home because his parents are gone, finding out that his (foster sister...I guess?) has narcolepsy. I wonder if he feels like I'm his responsibility now, because that wouldn't be true...right?

I stand up, and start heading towards the stairwell. John tears his attention away from the screen to glance at me. "Were are you going?"

I send him a look. "To Japan."

He rolls his eyes.

"No, I'm going to check on Sebs, he-"

John cuts me off. "Whoa. First, why do you think you should be going off to strangers bedrooms at night. Second...Sebs?"

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Hey, Sebastian is really long and..." The smile teasing the corners of my mouth dissipates. I trail off, "It's _night?_" I demand, shocked.

The playful glint in his eyes fades, and he nods. "You've been out a while."

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "Where's mom?"

He frowns, as if he hadn't thought of her for a while. "She left this morning, she hasn't come back yet." He says.

I gape at him. "And you never thought to _call her?_" I exclaim disbelieving. That was a mistake. John hates being yelled at. His gaze darkens, but I don't have time to worry about him. I glance around frantically, is there not a single clock in this house?

"What time is it?" I ask him, fear mixing with my voice.

He glances down at his watch. "It's 9:47"

I shake my head stunned. I'm about to race back into my room to get my phone to call her, when I hear a key turn in the lock. We both turn to face the door as it opens. I tense with anticipation.

The moment I see a flash of red hair, I sprint towards the door, tackling my mom with a hug, and she stumbles back, chuckling. I lock my arms around her, and squeeze. I bury my face in her sweater. "Where were you? You said you just going across the street!" I pull away to look at her, also because she smells strange like eucalyptus...and something else.

My mom smiles at me. "I'm so sorry Clary, I just lost track of time. I walked in to get a couple items, and when I walked out, it was night." She shakes her head puzzled. "I don't know where the time went."

I raise my eyebrows and step back. "Mom, you were gone over _twelve hours _and you just...lost track of time?" My voice comes out harsher than meant it, and my Mom notices and gives me one of those warning looks only moms can give.

She cocks her head as if daring me to snap at her again. "Yes, I did." She lowers her voice. "I haven't told Sebastian about you yet, so-"

"I know." A voice cuts in from behind me, causing me to jump. We all turn to see Sebastian standing in the doorway to the kitchen, hands in his pockets leaning casually against the doorframe. "Jonathon told me." He says so casually I wonder if it phased him at all. My mom glances at Jonathon who is blowing his nose, appreciation written across her face. She opens her mouth to say something, probably to thank him, but I cut in.

"Mom you really scared me." I say.

She turns to me, apologetic. "I'm sorry sweetheart." She says sincerely. Then she turns to John. "Come, I need your help getting the groceries inside." He nods, and they head outside.

I turn to Sebastian to find him staring intently at me. Just staring. Not checking me out, or even judging me, just...staring. I offer a nervous laugh. "So, John told you about the whole...narcolepsy thing."

He looks away, turning his attention to the window. "Yes." Is all he says.

I look down, twiddling my thumbs. "I want you to know that I'm not-" I look up to find him watching me. "I'm not your responsibility or anything, my mom and John take care of me, not to mention my friends, so don't think it's your job to...I don't know, look after me or something, because It's not." I try to gauge his reaction, looking for...relief, appreciation, or _something, _but his expression is unreadable.

"Okay...thanks."

I nod once in acknowledgement, and turn to head to my room, but I stop, and turn around to face Sebastian again. "Thanks." I say.

He frowns in confusion. "For what?"

I smile. "For catching me, when I fell this morning."

He smiles, and dips his head towards me. "You're welcome."

I turn, and head to my room, but not to sleep. I've done enough of that.

* * *

**I hoped you like this little chapter. I'll try to post once a week. And whoever wasn't confused when Clary passed out leave a comment, and I'll totally shout you out, if you're a writer I'll shout out your story too. Don't lie...I'll know. PM me any questions or crituques you have. Thanks a gazillion for reading, and until next week.**

**-Darkling Princess**


	2. Wednesday

**Hey guys, **

**Sorry for the long-ish wait, but I'm trying to consistently update once a week, so...yeah it's been a week. **

**Anyways I can't express how happy I was to get 11 followers and 4 favorites! How? You guys are wonderful, and thank you so much for following and/or favoriting my story. **

**I want give a BIG shoutout to Luna Lovegood and CarissaCampbelle, who didn't get confused when Clary passed out. That shows that you payed pretty close attention, I know I would've been incredibly confused, so I'm impressed.**

**I also want to say I PMed a few people to ask them what they would like to see in the story, and if I didn't get to you, and you followed reviewed or favorited the story, just PM me with your request.**

**This is actually one of the longest chapters, so I hope you enjoy. **

**-Darkling Princess**

* * *

Wednesday

I stare in the mirror. I don't do this very often, I don't usually care too much about how I look. I'll spare myself a quick glance before school to make sure I'm decent before leaving. I guess after meeting Sebastian looking like a zombie I want to put a bit more effort into how I present myself at home. That still doesn't warrant me checking myself out in the mirror...Whatever it is that's provoking this shallow activity won't stop, I can't tear my gaze away from myself.

I wonder what I look like to Sebastian. He's just met me. I would probably look different to him than I do to people who've known me longer-right? I'm wearing distressed black jeans with black thermals under, I have on a black thermal shirt with dull yellow knit sweater over, with a plain gray hoodie with a brown knee-length coat and combat boots. It's cold alright. I'm not going to freeze today. My lion's mane of red hair is pulled back with earmuffs and a beanie, and I have a scarf wrapped tightly around my neck. Not the most fashionable outfit, but it's comfortable, and warm. I'll probably take half of this stuff off at school, but until then I guess I'll be looking like a walking pile of clothes.

"Are you ready yet?" I hear John call out from the kitchen. He and Sebastian are probably waiting for me. It didn't snow too deep yesterday, so they were able to clear the road by this morning, sadly.

I grab my bag, and almost fall over. I have so much homework inside, most of which I stayed up to finish last night-or-this morning. I hardly got any sleep, but that's fine. I get enough. I yank my bag onto my shoulder and switch off the light. "Ready." I say as I enter the living room to find John and Sebastian standing in the kitchen, on opposite ends of the island, inhaling Pop-Tarts. Jonathon gulps down a glass of milk in about two seconds flat before heading towards the door.

"Well let's go then." He says, opening the door and heading to his truck. Sebastian follows with me on his heels, I close and lock the door behind me.

The ride to school is awkward. Usually it's just me and john. We'll crack stupid jokes, eat junk, gossip sometimes, but now that Sebastian is here we don't really know how to act. It's the three of us in the front seat, and I am so thankful the row is big enough so we're not squished together. Even so I got the middle, some crap about me being the smallest person. John is driving, he looks lost in thought, Sebastian is just staring out the window, so I can't see his expression, but the silence is killing me. So I attempt to start a conversation. After all with all this traffic the ride is going to be at least another thirty minutes. I decide to address Sebastian.

"So you've gone to this school before you moved in?" I ask.

He turns his body away from the window to face more towards me. "Yes actually, I've lived in this area all my life."

I raise my eyebrows. I don't know if it's usual for foster kids to stay in the same general area, but I kind of assumed it wasn't. So I decide to go with this subject, hoping he'll work with me and continue the conversation. "I don't remember seeing you around." I say.

He raises an eyebrow. "Really? I've seen you."

This startles me. "You have?" We live in a big city. The high school is enormous, so large that there really aren't even popular kids, there's rich kids, and 'it girls', and the more widely known kids, but there's no 'popular kids'. So I am practically invisible at my school to anyone who doesn't know me, especially with my height, if someone does see me it's probably because of my red hair, so the fact he noticed me is a little surprising.

He nods. "Yeah, you're friends with that nerdy kid and the blond baseball player, right?"

I nod, although that's not entirely true. "Yeah Simon and Jace, although Jace is-I'll introduce you to them if you want."

"Cool, and you can meet my boys, and my girl."

"Can't wait." I respond with a smile.

We talk about plenty of things over the next half hour, John tuning in every now and again, sniffing a lot (to the point where I'm mildly concerned), but otherwise uncharacteristically quiet. By the time we arrive at school I know a bit more about Sebastian. I learn he's trying out for the baseball team, he hates the name Sebs, his favorite subject is Logic, and this is his seventh foster home. He also knows more about me. I told him about how I used to have his room, about Simon and Jace, how I love to draw, and how the painting hanging in his room is by my mother. At that he seems really surprised, which made me a little proud.

When we arrive at school, we part ways. John heads to math, Sebastian to wherever, and me to Phys Ed. I absolutely hate having P.E. first thing. I leaves me sweaty and putrid for the rest of the school day, but it at least wakes me up. Also my friend Isabelle is in the class too. She hates it, I believe, even more than I do, so we suffer together. First period is actually the only period in which John and I are separate, we figured if I just woke up it would be less likely for me to have another episode, although that was proven to be utter crap yesterday, but hey, a girl's gotta have _some_ independence.

On my way to class, if you can even call it that, I stop at Simon's locker. Simon is my best friend, has been since grade one. We help each other unconditionally, extremely unconditionally. I remember in middle school he helped me with a...messy situation, and in elementary my mom was teaching me sewing so I sewed his pants after he split them in class. He was so relieved...Yeah we're pretty much like siblings.

When I arrive at my locker I find him awkwardly trying to shove some school books into his locker. I step in next to him to help. I soon understand why he was having trouble, when I go to help him I find that his locker is stuffed with papers. A lot of papers. A bunch of bundles stapled together and stacked atop one another. I take some of the books out of his arms. "You're going to have to get rid of some of those papers you know."

He sighs. "I know." We stare at the papers for a bit, I should probably be headed to the locker room, but I'm in no rush. Again, I hate P.E. and the teacher gives me the chills anyways. I take some of the papers out. "What are these anyways?" I ask flipping them open. Simon starts to protest but it's too late. I already have them open. My eyes scan the page.

"These are assignments." I say flipping through a stack. I sense Simon tense next to me. "How much homework do you have?" I start, taking out more bundles of paper, and putting down the schoolbooks. I flip through some more. They're all in ELA format, and each one at least four pages long on several different subjects. I look up at Simon. Looking him in the face I notice things I hadn't before; the dark circles under his eyes, the way his sclera are bloodshot, his slouched posture. I grab more stacks flipping through them with growing bewilderment. This is at least five times as much homework as I'm assigned, which is an outrageous amount considering it took me a good portion of the night to finish mine. I turn to him. "Did you get assigned all of this?" I ask, incredulous.

He looks away, biting his lip.

I'm about to ask him a second time when a kid parts from the dwindling crowd, walks up and shoves Simon into a locker. Causing a resounding clang that attracts a lot of attention. I take in his long, dark hair, and his stark green eyes, not unlike mine, and recognize him immediately as Meliorn Fae. He is one of the richest kids in school, actually him and his sister are probably the wealthiest kids in the city, and he's the captain of the baseball team, which around here is like football or basketball. There may not be any popular kids, but he and his sister are one of the closest things to it.

He points his finger in Simon's face threateningly. "I've heard what you've been doing Lewis." He says in a calm tone scarily adverse to his actions. "You think you can keep it up? You can't."

Simon looks him dead in the eye and scoffs. "I can, and will. I'm helping you-them. You should be thanking me-"

"Thanking you?" Meliorn snarls. "For what? You aren't helping them! You need to stop it, or I'll make you." He says lowering his voice. "If you really wanted to help them you would-"

"What is this about?" I cut in, infuriated.

Meliorn and Simon look at me as if noticing me for the first time. I raise both my eyebrows, because I'm incapable of raising one. He frowns at me. "I believe that's none of your concern." He says, his voice flavored with a mild British accent.

I plant my feet, and look him in the eye, attempting to be as threatening as possible. "Oh, I beg to differ." I counter, mocking his accent. "I'm very concerned." He sighs and steps forwards towering over my small frame like a monster truck next to a little Volkswagen Beetle. I stand my ground defiantly though, refusing to cower. He has a petulant expression smeared across his face.

He stares me in the eye disdainfully. "Do you really want to try me right now?"

I glower at him in return. "I think-"

* * *

"So, that is if you don't..." I trail off. First registering the pounding in my head, it's unbearable. I reach up and feel an icepack strapped to the back of my head. Then I begin to take in my surroundings. I'm in the nurses office. Alone. Half of my clothes are draped across the back of an armchair, the faded blue curtains are drawn around the bed for, my privacy. As I'm about to attempt to get up and find the nurse, she opens the curtains and walks in. She probably heard me finish a...what, one, two, three hour long sentence? I get a glimpse as she opens the curtains and see the room outside is empty, and I'm tucked under the thin stiff sheet. She-I glance at her name tag-Rose sets a glass of water on the bedside tray. She's short like me, and looks to be around twenty, twenty-one with dark ebony skin and curly hair pulled back into a bun with a few strands having sprung lose, framing her face. I know her, although I always forget her name, this isn't my first trip to the nurse. She touches my arm gingerly.

"How are you feeling babe?" She asks softly.

I shut my eyes as that familiar wave of dizziness slams into me like a two ton truck. I sink into the thin mattress, groaning. "Like crap as usual." I mumble, my voice coming out raw from sleep. At that I sit up, fighting the urge to collapse back down. I massage my temples. "How long was I out?" I crack open my eyelids, which doesn't help with the reeling feeling inside my brain. I see her purse her lips.

"About five-and-a-half hours." I fall back onto the bed with an even louder groan. She pats my leg comfortingly. "Hey, that's good. It could've been a lot worse babe."

That's true, but that doesn't mean I'm not upset, although...I did miss P.E...

Rose nudges me playfully turning my attention back to the present. She smiles. "A certain blonde someone came to check on you today."

I straighten, she has my full attention now.

"He seemed very concerned about you, you know." She goes on impassively. "He even sat by your bed for about an hour..." She looks up at me mischievously. "Do you know who that might be?"

I smile and look down. "Maybe." I quickly decide to change the subject. "Which period is it?"

She looks away. "Sixth is almost over."

"Oh."

She gets up from the bed and leaves. At first I think she heard another student enter, but she comes back a couple seconds later with a brown paper bag in hand. She hands it to me. "I figured you'd be hungry after all of this, so I had my boyfriend pick you up something."

I open up the bag to find three chocolate glazed doughnuts and a couple napkins. A warm feeling blooms in my chest. "Thank you, these are my favorite-you really didn't have to-"

She cuts me off. "You make sound like I just bought you a fifty thousand dollar trip to the Bahamas, they're just some doughnuts, because you missed lunch. Did you even have breakfast?"

I shake my head.

"Exactly, so eat up, I don't need you passing out from hunger too." I grin, sit up and begin wolfing down the down the pastries. I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating.

Rose looks at me with a meaningful expression. "I saw you throwing."

I look up as she sits down, attempting am indifferent expression, although I'm confident I failed. I usually throw at home or in an empty softball field with Simon or Jace, where precisely know one can see me or my old, sad, worn softball glove. I don't know how she saw, honestly it's kind of creepy.

I shrug. "Yeah, and?"

She smiles. "Don't act so oblivious. You're really good. You should try out, I'm sure you'd make the team. You throw like you just came from a professional league."

I mumble a thanks, give her small smile, and take another bite of the doughnut. I know it might seem a bit rude, but softball is a sore subject for me. It's one of the only things I might love to do more than art, but I can't do it. I can't play softball. Not with the fear of falling asleep hanging over my head every game, I can paint and draw as much as I want, I can go in my backyard and throw with Simon as much as I want, but I cannot play softball. It would just be a disaster.

I swallow. "I can't play." I say keeping my face carefully blank. "It wouldn't work out."

I watch realization cross her face, and then confusion. "Babe, I've been wanting to ask you, why aren't you on medication for this?"

Just then I hear the bell signaling the end of the period ring loud and clear. I sigh with relief. "Sorry, but I should probably go meet my brother now."

She gazes at me for a moment, questioning, but then nods. "Right, your bag is over here." I grab the paper bag, and my clothes, and follow her into the main part of the room. She goes to the corner desk, reaches underneath, and pulls out a heavy white backpack, with various drawings on the fabric. I take it, and heave it onto my shoulders. I start heading for the door, but before I leave I turn back to her.

"By the way, thanks for the doughnuts." I say sincerely.

She waves me away casually, but her gaze is fixed on the window, and her expression absent. "You're welcome babe." She says.

I think about going to see what's caught her attention, but decide against it. I need to go find John, and Sebastian. After checking the small sad little courtyard, parking lot, car, and the library, I finally find them in the cafeteria. I see John first, sitting on a bench staring warily at the people before him. Second I see Sebastian sitting relaxed with a group of people gathered around him, and a girl sitting behind him on the table with her forearms resting on his shoulders, and her chin on his head.

Everything seems fine enough until I start recognizing the kids around him. Alex Mortmain, Raphael Santiago, Malcom Fade, Annabel Blackthorn, and the girl sitting with him is Seelie Fae. Again, no popular kids, but these kids aren't known for popularity, they're known for "most likely to end up in Juvie" Alex Mortmain is said to have assaulted a junior, Tessa I think her names is, but nothing has ever been proven, which sucks. Everyone knows he did it. He's not exactly discreet about who he likes. Malcom Fade and Anabel Blackthorn allegedly beat up some freshmen and middle school kids, but apparently those kids never spoke up about it, so nothing happened. Raphael Santiago is known for supposedly dealing drugs and selling alcohol to minors, but no ones been able to catch him. Don't even get me started on Seelie. She's Meliorn's sister, so I don't care what she did herself, she's guilty by association.

Sebastian notices me first. "Clary, hey, come over."

I glance at John. He shrugs, so I reluctantly drag my body in their direction. Sebastian reaches for the small of my back, and guides me forwards. Earning me a dirty look from Seelie. I gently move away from him. He has me stand before his friends as he introduces each one of them. I don't listen to a word he says, I know their names already, but I do pay close attention to them. All of them except Raphael and Seelie seem fine enough at a cursory glance, but when I look closer I notice little things in their demeanor that hint towards darker personalities. For instance: The way Raphael's hand is twitching continuously, the way Mortmain is curiously analyzing me from head to toe. Little things.

I suddenly notice they're all looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to introduce myself. I force a smile, bringing myself back to the moment. "Well, it's nice to meet you all." I say, not really knowing what else to say. "I'm Clary." Their mildly curious, bored expressions dissipate and they deadpan, glancing at Sebastian. For a few awkward seconds no one says anything, and after a while Seelie breaks the silence.

"Nice to meet you Clary." She says, ice coating her words, sounding as though she'd most definitely rather not have met me. The others still haven't said anything, but they don't look like a bunch of deer headlights anymore, but not bored either. Seelie continues. "So, Sebs is moving in with you?"

I nod.

"So your like his, what-foster sister of something?"

I shrug. "Sure."

She leans back, staring intently at me. "Sebs told us a little bit about you." She says cocking her head to the side. I tense. "So your Mom paints?" She asks.

I blink. "Yeah, sh-she does." I stutter. I hadn't expected to ask me about my mom. I'd expected her to make a jab at my condition, or fiercely warn me to stay away from Sebastian, but we're just having a conversation like normal human beings, kind of. But I can't say I don't feel a little apprehensive, and I came for John anyways, so I just motion to all of them.

"Well again, nice to meet you all." I say backing away. Lying through my teeth. I don't wait for a response.

I guess I just really want to get away from them.

I turn around, and begin walking towards John. As I get closer I notice for the first time how tired he looks. His eyes are bloodshot with dark shadows forming under, he looks unusually pale, and unbelievably tense. I sit in front of him, and toss the house keys onto the table. "I'm going to Jace's." I say, and I gesture behind me. "Can you drop off Sebastian?"

He shakes his head, reaches for a napkin, and blows his nose. When he's done he addresses me. "No."

I look at him, peeved. "Why not?"

"I going to Zara's"

I roll my eyes. Zara Dearborn is John's girlfriend. She's pretty, outwardly, but we despise each other. She's a pampered, spoiled, little piece of garbage, and she's a bad influence on John. He's been hanging out with her everyday after school, and it's starting to fray my nerves. He's been acting more…bossy I guess. Telling me what to do, and whatnot. Don't mistake me, I put him in his place every time, but I really don't like Zara, or being told what to do.

I let out a huff. "Come on John, You've been going to her house everyday for the past week." I state, exasperatedly. "Give it a rest. You know Alec is coming back today, Can you not just take Sebastian home, and then go to Zara's?"

A beat.

"No."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not." He meets my gaze. "You could do the same thing, and _you said _you wanted to introduce him to Simon and Jace. How are you going to introduce him if you're leaving?"

I shrug. I hadn't thought of that. "I could just introduce him tomorrow."

"Nice try."

"John-"

"The answer is _no_. Sorry, but despite how it might seem, my life doesn't revolve around you" He snaps, startling us both. He takes a deep breath in. "I'm sorry Clary, I just-" But I'm already leaving. I hear him call out my name but I ignore him.

It's really not that big a deal, but he has hardly spent any time with me all week. I've been ignoring it, but it's beginning to grind my nerves. Maybe I'm overreacting, but right this moment I'm pretty frustrated with him. Can he not do me one favor? My thought are so muddled about what he said about his life, I just push the whole subject out of my mind.

I shove through the doors into the crisp winter air. Usually after school Jace will come pick me up, and we'll hang out at his house, or go to the baseball field or something, but today he's taking Simon and I to Taki's to meet Alec who's visiting from college. We're going to be late now thanks to John.

I'm texting Simon that I'm at the school entrance, I had decided to talk to his about that whole fiasco in the hall later, when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I almost drop my phone. I spin around to see Sebastian standing there, amused.

I exhale. "You just about scared the crap out of me Sebastian." I say. I didn't even hear him coming.

He smiles ruefully. "Sorry."

I totally forgot about telling him he was leaving with me. I look at him sideways. "Did John send you?" I ask nonchalantly.

He nods. "Yes, he said you were going to drive me back?"

I raise my eyebrows. "He said what?"

"That you were going to give me a ride back."

I blink and lick my lips, trying to shove down my rising anger. "I can't drive." I spot Jace's car turning into the parking lot. "John knows that. I don't know why he would tell you...We're going to ride with Jace and Simon, Drop you off at home-unless you want to go to a friends house."

He shakes his head. "No, I think I'd rather head back."

"Okay." I hear a door open behind me, and turn to see Simon walking to stand beside me. He gives Sebastian a curious once-over.

"So you're the foster kid staying with Clary." If being called the foster kid irritates Sebastian he doesn't show it."

He smiles and nods. "Yes, I'm Sebastian." He holds out his hand. "You must be Jace."

Simon freezes, and stares at Sebastian for moment trying to discern if he's joking.

I cover my mouth to hide my smile.

Upon seeing that Sebastian isn't joking, Simon schools his expression into one of nonchalance. "Yes, I'm Jace, you must have heard a lot about me." He shakes Sebastian's hand, smirking and making a horrible attempt to impersonate Jace. "Nice to meet you Sebastian."

Before Sebastian can respond Jace's Cadillac pulls up in front of the school. He leans over to open the drivers side. He looks at me, and raises an eyebrow, smiling radiantly like a kid on Christmas. It's adorable actually. "You ready?"

I nod, and hurry down the steps, but Simon beats me to shotgun. He plops his butt down and sends me a cheeky grin, but I just return right back to him, which confuses him until Jace plucks him directly in the ear. Simon winces and turns to Jace. "Dude-"

"Get in the back ratface." Jace says, glaring intensely at Simon, his angelic smile disappearing. Simon scowls and gets up to go in the back, but Jace's smile returns when I climb in. I smile right back at him, it's hard not to. I know he's missed his brother a lot, and honestly so have I. Alec was a big part of our group, and having him head off to college to study medicine had us all at a loss. None, I think, more than Jace, and then Isabelle, his sister.

As Sebastian makes his way towards the car, Jace frowns at him, and I take this chance to explain. "Jace, remember last month I told you mom was deciding to foster?"

His eyes dart from me to Sebastian and back to me. "Yes."

"Well, um." I motion towards Sebastian, who's waiting patiently to be invited into the car. "This is Sebastian, Sebastian meet Jace, my boyfriend."

Jace gazes at Sebastian, stunned.

Sebastian stares back Jace, inscrutable.

After a moment of silence Simon breaks in. "Well I guess when Alec asks why we were an _hour_ late, I'll just say I got caught in a very interesting staring competition."

That snaps Jace out of his stupor. He gives Sebastian a funny look and turns to me. "So does he need a ride?"

I nod. "Yeah, back home."

He looks back at Sebastian. "Well, climb in then. As awful as it is, Simon's right we don't want to be late."

Sebastian slides into the back, and Jace clears his throat, takes the car out of park, and we're off.

The car ride is tense. I can tell there's something Jace wants to say, but not in the presence of Sebastian. About halfway to my house I slap the dashboard suddenly. Jace glances at me, concerned, for me or his car, I don't know.

I answer his questioning look. "I left the keys to the house."

He lets out a defeated sigh. "Where?"

As if on cue, my phone rings. A photo of John's face smiling and covered in cake from his fifteenth birthday lights up the screen. I hesitate, but answer.

"Hey."

"You left your keys baby sis."

"You have them?"

"Duh."

"'Duh' really?"

"Duh."

"Okay..."

"Okay."

"Where are you?"

"At Zara's, duh." He laughs.

I frown. "Are you drunk?" How the heck could he get drunk that fast, and this early?

He laughs again. "_Maybe._"

I look at Jace. "He's at Zara's." Jace takes the next right and we change course.

"We'll be there in ten."

John sniffs on the other end of the phone. I hear someone say something to him in the background, then he responds, "Okay." And hangs up.

I stare out the window without saying anything for a moment. Trying to figure out what on earth is going on with John.

Sebastian is the first to speak. "So, I thought you were Jace." He points to Simon.

Jace glances at him through the rearview mirror. "What?"

0o0o0o0o

In approximately ten minutes we arrive at Zara's, we park in front of her house, which is disgustingly nice. It's three stories with a guesthouse, pool, and garden with a garden shed. It's lovely. Much like us The Dearborns aren't lacking in the financial department. We sit in front of the house for a moment, I guess They're thinking I'm going to go inside to get the keys, but I can't bring myself to get out of the car. I turn to Jace. He is the only one who knows how much I dislike Zara. I hate to admit it, but the reason I hate her is probably more jealousy than anything. She's stealing my brother away from me. I know I must sound like the cliché jealous little sister, but the amount of time John spends with her in comparison to me is absolutely ridiculous. Especially considering that he met her two weeks ago.

Jace must see something in my face because his expression changes. He tilt his head towards the house. "Do you want me to go in?"

I nod. He sighs, and unbuckles his seatbelt.

As he's opening his door Sebastian pipes up. "I'll go."

Jace turns to look at him in confusion. "_Why_?"

Sebastian shrugs and opens the car door. "I want to meet this dreaded girlfriend of Johnathon's."

Jace searches Sebastian's expression for a moment before closing the car door. "If you can't tell the difference between this golden beauty and ratface how are you going to know who Clary's brother is?"

Sebastian gives him an uncharacteristically tight smile, I notice he looks pale, "I'll figure something out." And he closes the door.

While he's inside Jace texts Isabelle, who's picking up Alec from the airport, telling her stall, because we might be a few minutes late. She sends an eyeroll emoji back, but a thumbs up too. When Sebastian returns he looks self content, but also sickly. He walks down the porch steps with some difficulty, and he goes to take another step,

But he collapses right there in the walkway.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**Please leave a review for anything you did or didn't like in the chapter, and if you get any of the following questions right, I will shout you out at the end of the next chapter.**

**1\. Why is Jonathon acting so strange?**

**2\. What's wrong with Sebastian**

**3\. And what are they going to do about Sebastian?**

**Anyways thanks a billion for supporting my story, it helps so much, and until next week.**


	3. Turning Up the Heat

**Hey Guys,**

**I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update. I try to stay a couple chapters ahead, and I've been suffering with a sort of writer's block. Also I just want to say in advance, that I changed from present tense to past tense in this chapter, I did my best to proofread it, but there may still be some mistakes, if there are just tell me where, and I'll try my best to find and fix it. This too is kind of a short chapter, especially short considering how long you had to wait, but it's something, and a lot of the chapters will probably be about this length. **

**And I would like to give an enormous shoutout to ****Fireheartmatilda and Kathe01 for sending me reviews. They helped so much, and they have great stories, which I would highly suggest you guys checking out. They're called "Darker Times" and "Clarissa and Jonathon". They're really fascinating stories and the writers are pretty talented.**

**Anyways, here's your chapter, I hope you like it.**

**-Darkling Princess**

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I don't know how to feel about hospitals.

A lot of people dislike them, saying they hold bad memories, which I can understand, but they help people. They help the sick, the bruised, the bleeding, and the beaten. They are safe havens for the physically unstable. Not to mention I didn't know Sebastian very well, but what I wouldn't have given to have a hospital nearby, but there wasn't one for miles. When he collapsed Jace and I both threw open our doors simultaneously, and leapt out of the car. Sebastian looked like death lying there on the concrete walkway. His hairline was glistening with sweat, his breathing was short and erratic, and his expression pained.

Jace lifted him up, and fireman-carried him into the car, laying him down gingerly in the back seat. I was still staring down at Sebastian in shock being totally unhelpful, and Jace let out a deep breath. He turned to me. "Get in the car."

I was a little irked by the fact he ordered he ordered me to do something, but this was a high-stress situation so I guess he's excused. His order did snap me out of my stupor enough to begin thinking again. I raced around the car and slid in. I turned to look at Jace. "Were are we going? Hospital?"

He shook his head, as he buckled up. "My house."

I frowned. "To see Alec?"

He nods, starting the car. "He's closer than a hospital."

For a moment I didn't get it, and I just stared blankly at him, but then it clicked. Alec was studying medicine. He might be able to help, and if he can't, we'd call an ambulance. I slid in the car and buckled up too.

Jace glanced up through the rearview. "Simon, check his pulse."

Simon leaned down and put his hand gently on Sebastian neck, right beneath his jawline. "He's not dead, but I think his heart rate may be a little faster than it's supposed to be, but it's hard to tell." He felt the back of Sebastian's neck. "Also he's definitely running a fever."

I gave Simon a look.

"My mom's a pediatrician." He explained. "She knows this stuff, she insisted that I know too, just in case."

I gave him a small smile. "Well, good thing, right?"

He gave me a weak smile back. "Yeah, good thing."

We completed the ten minute drive to Jace's house in about five minutes, and luckily, when we pulled up to the Lightwood's beautiful three story estate we saw Alec's car parked out front. Jace tossed me the keys I went to unlock the door, and he and Simon got Sebastian out of the car, put both of his arms over their shoulders, and carried him up the porch steps.

In our rush I didn't have time to appreciate the marble columns supporting the roof of their wraparound porch, or the magnolia trees giving off a sweet fragrance on either side of the house, or the perfect balance of rustic, and modern that was the Lightwoods house, because I was too busy trying not to freak out over how much paler Sebastian was getting by the second.

Jace's house was lain out so there was a hallway as soon as you entered, and doors on each side of the hallway led to different rooms, and at the end of the hall was a staircase leading upstairs. This means no one knew we were in the house until we trudged into their finely furnished living room. Isabelle gave me a big smile when I walked in, and somehow still looked mad about how late we were. But Alec saw me first, and I think he was really just happy to find an escape from his mom, Maryse, and his sister, Isabelle, because he immediately walked over to greet me, smiling, which would've been flattering, but right then Simon and Jace came in with an unconscious Sebastian. His smile faded.

Jace gave Alec a tight smile, which probably would have been more genuine if not for the seventeen-year-old he and Simon were carrying. "This guy just passed out walking, he's got _definitely _a fever, and um Dr. Ratface here, said his heart rate sped up a bit." He tilted his head to Alec. "Can you do anything about that?"

Alec raised his eyebrows, glancing between all of us, looking very stunned. "You do know, I've only been studying medicine for a year?"

Jace nodded.

"You came to me instead of hospital?" Alec seemed so surprised by this, he failed to notice that they were clearly struggling under Sebastian's weight. He was after all about six, two.

Jace nodded again. "Yeah, now I know I have the physique of Superman, but not quite all of the strength. Where do you want him?"

"Umm..." Alec glanced around, pursing his lips. "Put him on the couch." He then walked out into the hall, and cupped his hands over his mouth. "_Magnus!_" Jace and Simon started moving Sebastian to the couch, Simon looked down at Sebastian with unease.

I heard Simon murmur under his breath. "He's _really _hot."

A very fashionably dressed Asian man with an abnormal amount glitter in his spiky mohawk emerged from the door to the kitchen, which is in the living room, he had on a "kiss the cook" apron and a ladle in hand. He was pulling off an oven mitt. "Alexander, how many times must I tell you, not to scream my name, firstly you could have ruined my soufflé, secondly it's quite annoying."

Alec spun around, startled. "Magnus, can you..." He motioned towards Sebastian being laid on the couch, who Magnus had somehow missed.

Magnus glanced at him, blinks and looked back at Alec.

Alec smiled.

Magnus let out a irritated huff. He glanced at the rest of us for the first time. His eyebrows raised as his gaze lands on Jace, and then he turned back to Alec. Not even the slightest bit surprised. "Help me get him into a guest bedroom. You," He said pointing to Simon. "Tell me what happened, and you," He pointed to Isabelle." Isabelle, right? Watch my soufflé." Everyone started to protest at that, but he silenced us with one of those "Am I going to do this or not?" looks. Magnus took off his apron, he and Alec lifted Sebastian up from the couch, and carried out into the hall to another room with Simon on their heels.

I let out a sigh of relief, a least someone's taking care of him. I turned to go sit down on one of the plush sofas. So much for that joyous reunion with Alec. I sunk into the couch next to Jace. He was explaining to Maryse what happened, although she still seemed confused about who Sebastian is, so I leaned forwards to explain, when out the corner of my eye I saw Sebastian walk back into the room. He was wearing the same clothes, but they were covered in blood. _He _was covered in blood, his hair, his face his shirt, pants-everything. It was as if he'd been dipped in ketchup, and he was staring directly at me smiling. I froze.

"Clary." He chastised. "Why didn't you tell them who I was? You could've saved them."

I stared at him, bug eyed.

"Clary?" Jace said coming towards me, sounding alarmed.

Sebastian sucked his teeth. "Shame, they were working so hard."

I slowly stood up. "What are you talking about?"

Sebastian smiled bigger. I noticed he had blood on his teeth too. "You know what I'm talking about." He said meaningfully.

Dread snaked around my gut.

Jace stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Sebastian. He looked at me, concerned, searching my eyes. "Clary, what's happening?"

I stared at him, can't he see for himself? I shook my head and pushed past to see Sebastian disappeared. "Where is he?" I start towards the hallway.

Jace grabbed my arm. "Where is who?"

I yanked my arm away. "Sebastian, he..." I stopped suddenly as I saw everyone's expressions. They were looking at me with concern, bewilderment, and something akin to pity.

Jace just looked calm, concerned, but calm. He took my hand, and started rubbing soothing circle into my palm. "Clary," He said softly. "You were hallucinating."

He said it very softly, his voice was soothing and gentle, he knew how real these things can seem. But his words were anything but soothing. It felt like blow to the chest, knocking the air out of me, leaving me breathless. I just stood there, everyone was staring at me, which is really only Maryse, Jace, and now Izzy, but it's three people too many. I felt so stupid and embarrassed for having reacted like that, but it seemed so _real_.

I did my best to give Jace a smile, and took a deep breath. I bit my lip and forced myself to glance at Maryse and Isabelle. "Sorry about that, I...um...had a little thing..." I turn to Jace doing my best to ignore the worried looks being cast at me. "I ah...have to go to the restroom." I had meant to say that casually but instead my voice came out oddly breathy. "Call me, when they're done with Sebastian."

"Clary-" Jace started, but I waved him away.

"I'm fine, I just...need a minute." I gave him another forced smile, and did my best not to race out of the room. I powerwalked down the long crimson and white corridor, and shoved open the door to the restroom, before closing it gently behind me. I yanked on the cold water and splashed the cool liquid onto my face. I didn't turn it off as I sank to the floor, and rested my forehead against the cool surface of the marble counters. I shut my eyes, and let the relaxing sound of the water streaming against the porcelain sink surround me, taking deep, calming breaths. Every time the image of a bloodied Sebastian ripped it's way into my imagination I pushed it away, and just focused on the water.

I felt bad about pushing Jace away, he didn't deserve that, but we'd only been together for, what, two weeks, and he had known me for a while before, but no one knew how to help me like John did. He was there with me from the first time I fell asleep on a playground to when I started having vivid hallucination a year back. He was there with by my side...up until he met Zara. Hence our rivalry. I guess I just needed some time alone, Away from everyone, to think

After a few minutes, I had calmed down. I turned off the water and took a deep breath. The door opened as my hand touched the knob. Isabelle peaked in wearing her _Calvin Klein_ crop top and black mini skirt, looking trendy as always.

"Hey." She smiled.

"Hey."

"You okay?" I could tell she was trying to discreetly scan my features for evidence of crying, but when she didn't find any, she seemed to relax a little.

I nodded. "Yeah, just needed a minute."

She nodded as if she understood. "Well, Alec and Magnus are done, I thought I'd come get you."

I shoved down my mild disappointment that Jace hadn't come. "Thanks."

We made our way back to the living room, where everyone, including Simon, was looking at Magnus and Alec expectantly. I can't say I wasn't relieved to see Magnus, and Alec standing there in one piece. Although I knew I had hallucinated, some part of my brain still couldn't accept it, but seeing them healthy and _alive_ in front of me helped.

Magnus looked to be talking with Alec, and once he saw Isabelle and I enter he sipped something from a glass mug, and began.

"So if you're wondering what happened to that boy, I'm sorry to say that in all my years of medical study, I've never seen anything like it."

I frowned. "You're a doctor?"

He shook his head. "No, professor, but your friend's condition is very unique. You may have noticed his temperature rising." He nodded at Simon. "A person, by definition, has a fever when their temperature surpasses 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest fever ever recorded was recorded from a fifty-one year old man having a heatstroke in ninety degree weather. His temperature was about 116 degrees." He took another sip from his mug. "Your friend's temperature was at about 123 degrees."

He seemed to wait for a reaction but none came. At the time no one could comprehend quite how serious it was. Magnus seemed to realize that, so he explained it simpler. "Basically your friend could've died, and you should've taken him to the hospital, but I managed to bring his temperature down reasonably, and he should be fine with some rest and a ridiculous amount of liquids." He glanced at each of us. "You're welcome."

I realized how rude we had been. After all Magnus had probably just saved Sebastian's life. "Thanks...Magnus?"

He rubbed his temple disdainfully. "How could I forget." He extended his hands. "Magnus Bane, Alec's boyfriend."

I raised my eyebrow at Alec. _Boyfriend_? I grasped his hand and, to my bewilderment, he politely kissed it. He gives me a expectant smile and I realized I hadn't introduced myself. "Clary fray, Alec's friend."

His charming and polite manner seemed uncannily similar to Sebastian's, but I immediately returned to the problem at hand. "So-he's going to be fine?"

Magnus's smile softened. "Yes, he'll be fine."

"And you don't know of anything that could have caused this?"

He shook his sadly. "No, I'm sorry biscuit. Is he your boyfriend or something?" He said, carefully avoiding Jace's gaze.

"Uh...no, I'm not...we're not..._that_."

"Well," He said turning to Jace. "How unfortunate." His soft teasing smile quickly dissipated when he turned to Jace. "Jace."

"Magnus." Jace said, equally sardonic.

Magnus turned his attention to Simon. "And you are..."

"Simon, Isabelle's friend."

Jace raised an eyebrow.

"And Clary's, I mean. Probably more Clary's."

Magnus glances between Simon and Isabelle before focusing on Isabelle. "Well, since someone somehow caused my soufflé to _explode" _He glared accusingly at Isabelle. She became engrossed in the non-existent wallpaper. I suddenly noticed the faint scent of smoke. "I'll have to prepare something else, so hold tight lovelies, and Jace"

Once he left Jace walked over to me. He gave me a hesitant smile, which was cute. Jace was hardly ever unsure of himself. He held my hand gently. "You alright?" He asked softly.

I hesitated before nodding. "I'm fine."

He looked me in the eyes. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

I shook my head. "Maybe later."

He nodded his head, as if he understood, which he didn't.

"Jace." We both turn to see Alec walking towards us, he smiled. "Long time."

Jace walks over with a smile too, and they embrace, before pulling away quickly, because neither of them are huggers. Then Alec walked over to give me an awkward half-hug which I returned enthusiastically, despite how he towered over my five-foot stature. I guess I missed him more than I realize. Alec pulled away and patted Jace's shoulder "Didn't have time to give a proper hello with all of the commotion, by the way-who is the kid, who's life we just saved exactly?"

Jace's expression transformed instantly. "Do you remember on the phone, I told you Clary's mom was deciding to foster?"

Alec went slack-jawed. "Don't tell me that's him."

Jace nodded.

Alec blinked, hard.

"So, you're telling me that Clary's mom-Clary, no offense-decided to foster a seventeen-year-old _man, _who is a_ complete stranger, _inside the same house as her sixteen-year-old daughter?"

I bit my lip. I had never thought of it...like _that. _But judging by Jace's expression he certainly had. It occurred to me that was probably why he was gawking at Sebastian when I introduced him, and I started wonder, why the thought hadn't occurred to my mom too. She was my mother, isn't she supposed to consider these things? If she did, did she just dismiss the thought? Sebastian seemed pretty decent, but I had _just _met him. I thought about how Jonathon had always said I was too trusting, and whenever he would say that I would rebuke it by saying that it's good to give people the benefit of doubt. "Innocent until proven guilty" right?

Despite all of the doubts running through my head, I defended my mom. "Well, John's there with pretty much all of the time, so I'm fine." Although, my voice came out less convincing than I would have liked.

Jace turned back to me. "In a different room?"

"Not always."

Jace sighed. "I'm talking about at night, Clary. No one would try anything when John _is_ with you."

"Well, yeah we don't share a room."

"On a different floor?"

"Yes." I said reluctantly.

"From you _and_ Sebastian."

John's room was in the attic, mostly because he asked, but partly because we used to stay up late communicating to each other through the walls in Morse Code. That is, until my mother couldn't take it, and suggested the attic to John.

So I pursed my lips. "Yeah."

Jace saw my uncertainty, and his expression softened. "I'm not saying Sebastian is _actually _going to try something, but I think you should some sort of...plan in place in case he does."

I nodded. "I see what you mean, I guess."

The rest of the visit went by in a blur. Magnus served everyone a special soup of his, and we all sat down in the dining room to eat, while talking about Magnus and Alec, and then some irrelevant topics. I tried to enjoy myself. Sebastian was fine now, Alec was here, and I hadn't fallen asleep for a couple hours, but I could shake the chills I had gotten from my hallucination. I fake smiled and nodded my way through the evening, until finally it was time to take our leave. Magnus was the only one, besides me, who seemed a little detached from the whole affair so on the way out I asked him if he was alright.

"Yes, I just have never seen anything quite like your friends condition. You go to school with him, do you think you could keep an eye on him, maybe see if you could spot anything that might have provoked his reaction."

I bit my lip, I had forgotten Magus didn't know about my problem, he had proved himself to be a flamboyant yet likable person and I had taken to thinking of him as a friend. I looked at the wall behind him. "I don't think I would be the best person to watch over him, but I could ask my brother to." I didn't mention that my brother and I are together most of the time or that my brother might not be the best person either judging by his state.

Magnus frowned but nodded. "And you may want to take him to get checked up just in case, although I would wait until tomorrow, it's getting pretty late, and the anti-oxidants I gave him will probably keep him knocked out until morning."

I a mini, two-finger salute. "Yes, sir. And thank you-for helping him." I said sincerely. And I was thankful, I may not have known Sebastian for longer than a day, but I was truly worried about him. He seemed like a good guy, despite his questionable choices in friendships.

Magnus bowed. Which struck me as overdramatic, but Magnus was proving himself to be just that. "It is my duty to heal." He said simply. He gestured to the car, which Alec and Jace had just finished lowering Sebastian into. "Looks like you're all loaded up biscuit, pleasure meeting you."

I gave him a small smile, which had probably been the first genuine one in the past few hours. "Pleasure's all mine." I curtsied. Looking back on it I cringe, but in that moment Magnus smiled bigger, and so did I as I turned and walked away. My smile faded the closer I got to the car. I could see Sebastian through the back window of the car. He may not have had a temperature worthy of the Guinness World Records anymore, but I could see he was still running a professional fever. His skin was paler than usual, and pasty, his eyes were roaming frantically behind their lids. Simon was already in the back seat, and Jace was talking with Alec through the lowered window of the driver's seat. He turned to see me approaching, and said his "see you later" to Alec. I hopped in, Jace started the car, and we were off. The rest of the ride to my house was quiet except for Sebastian's feverish, troubled breaths.

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**There you have it.**

**Again, I really hope you liked it. Leave a review for anything you liked or didn't like. And thanks a trillion for reading, and supporting my story. **

**Until the next chapter.**


	4. And Then One Thing Led to Another

**Hey guys,**

**I know that it's been longer than a week, but I was trying to get back to updating on Fridays, so...I waited. I am sorry for the long wait though.**

**I would like to reply to a review posted almost a while ago by a guest, and I thought I should respond. **

**Guest: ****Hmm.. I like this story but I have a question: Is this a Clace story or Clabastian story?**

**To which I would like to answer: The day I make a Clabastian story is the day I turn into a Dark Princess, because Clabastian is gross**

**But that's just my opinion. Please don't hate me. But seriously I do appreciate that you like the story, and that you took the time to tell me, it really does mean a lot.**

**And as always, I apologize for any grammar mistakes, I tried to make sure I thoroughly reviewed it, but a few might have slipped through. I apologize in advance.**

**Anyways here is Chapter four, I genuinely hope you like it.**

**-Darkling Princess**

* * *

I was brutally exhausted.

I barely slept all night. Images of Sebastian standing over Alec, Simon, and Magnus's dead bodies had kept popping up in my head, so I slept very little. Not to mention Jace dropped me off first, leaving him and Simon alone, in an enclosed space. I don't entirely remember when their rivalry started, I think Jace played a prank on Simon a few year back, or something. But nevertheless I was a bit anxious to leave them both in the car, more for Jace than Simon, because Simon can exact revenge brutally, and he hasn't yet, so I get the feeling he been holding on to a grudge for the past few years, which isn't good. I remember I broke his X-box once by throwing a softball inside his room...the next day I found my locker glitter bombed, and in my bag was a shirt I had saved up money to buy, it was covered in a substance, which I to this day can't Identify. I guess when I see them today I'll know what happened.

I slowly worked a cramp out of my neck, I had fallen asleep in the middle of finishing homework, around Four-ish, and I must've slept the wrong way or something. I slowly sat up and moved the scattered loose-leaf paper aside. I got dressed, packed up my completed homework, and headed into the kitchen to get some breakfast. I checked the kitchen and living room, no sign of John. So I settled for a bowl of Fruit Loops, and curled up on the couch watching reruns of Modern Family that we recorded. After the second episode I washed out my bowl and spoon, and checked the time. Simon had sent me a text asking where I was, and John still wasn't downstairs and it was a quarter to eight. I even went upstairs to find Sebastian still knocked out from whatever Magnus gave him, and John still wasn't downstairs.

Twenty-four minute minutes, and several texts from Jace, Simon, and Isabelle later (all of which I replied to) John lumbered down the steps in his pajamas. His hair sticking up on one side of his head, his eyes were still swollen from sleep, his nose was red, and he looked completely exhausted. I clenched my jaw. He was the definition of hungover if I had to describe it, and I had to be at school five minutes ago. If he noticed anger that must have been radiating off me in waves, he didn't acknowledge it in the slightest. I took a deep breath, remembering how John had shut down the day before when I raised my voice. I made an attempt to address him calmly.

I only partially succeeded.

"John...What. In. The. Heck."

He gave me a look. "Good morning to you too Clare." He rolled his eyes "Do you know where the milk is?"

I pursed my lips. You might think I was over-reacting a bit, but no. I wasn't. The reason John and I had the same classes was because I had worked my butt off to skip a grade, and given the amount of time I have taken away from me everyday, that was pretty _flippin' _hard. Every bit of school time I could get, I needed. John knew that.

I looked John in the eyes and spoke very clearly, and to my extreme surprise, quietly. "John, do you know what time it is? Hmm?"

He looked at the ceiling in mock contemplation. "Ahhhh...seven-ish-"

"It's _eight-o-nine_."

I saw realization hit him. I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming at him to hurry up and make himself look less moronic, and I took another _deep _breath. My anger could've been slightly due to sleep deprivation, which is unlikely in my life, but I refused to acknowledge it. Which could have led to my coming outburst. "So, hurry up! I don't what gave you the genius idea to get drunk on a _school night _but I need you to pull it together and get me to school, because I swear if my grades go down because of you I'll...have mom make you drive Sebastian home everyday for the next decade." I have to admit I was proud of the repercussions I invented, but I mentally slapped myself as John's expression closed up.

He looked me dead in the eye and said "Why don't you drive there yourself."

I didn't have a response. He knew _why. _He had never said anything like that to me before. He knew how sensitive I was about my condition, and he knew he was my rock. _No one _had ever made a dig like that about my ailment and the last person I would have expected to do so would be John.

To say I was at a loss for words was probably an understatement.

He pretended to have an epiphany. "Oh, right, you can't, because you depend on _me_ to drive you, _me _to help you if you happen to fall, _me_ to stay with you in every single class to make sure I take notes so you don't flunk, because you fell asleep." He raised his eyebrows. "You can't even go for a _walk_ without me." He sniffed and shrugged. "I would just suggest you ask me a bit nicer. You need me so...I could always say no, that's all." With that he headed into the kitchen to get milk.

I stared at him, openmouthed. I was totally at a loss for words. The last time I could remember him doing that was...never. He never showed an sign of resentment towards me or what he had to do for me. I didn't know at all where this was coming from, but I had a pretty good guess. I glared icily at him. "You do _not _get to speak to me like that. Ever. And you do _not _get to complain"

He spun around, his eye twitching.

I thought about saying more, but I didn't want to show him how much his words upset me, so I just rolled my shoulders, and walked to my room. At the doorway he called out "What're you doing?"

I didn't turn to look at him as I said. "I'm going to call Alec to pick me up. You can call me when you figure out what the heck is wrong with you." With that I walked in my room and slammed the door. I ignored all of the thoughts running through my head, thoughts about Zara, John's irresponsibility, John's usual kindness and gentleness when it came to my disability. I took all those thoughts and emotions and locked them behind a steel door. I brought out my phone, and texted Alec, asking him to drive me to school, he of course said yes, and I flopped onto my plush, teal-clad bed.

I had shoved away all my troubling thoughts, so I just sat there, at first thinking of nothing, which I didn't think was possible. Then my thoughts gradually circled towards Jace. He was probably at school, which was the only thing stopping me from calling him to pick me up, although I knew he would, I didn't want to drag him away from school. I had only been dating him for about a month, but we'd know each other for years. He had moved into my neighborhood when I was around ten, his mom became friends with mine during some spa visit, where they saw one another, and John and I found ourselves seeing a lot more of Jace and his siblings. Afterwards we all starting becoming good friends. I introduced Simon, whom I'd known for much longer, and we sort of formed a pack. John had always been less tight with the group, going off and hanging out with his own friend group, but otherwise we were inseparable. A month ago Jace asked me to go on a date with him (to my complete surprise, because honestly I had a serious crush on him), and we'd been hanging together ever since. He dealt admirably well with my condition, and never once complained, criticized, or made fun of me for it. John hadn't either until...

My phone chimed. Alec texted that he was outside.

I was outside in less than thirty seconds. Alec's black Mercedes was parked directly in front of the driveway, which was nice, because the grass was covered in a layer of frost, and. I climbed into the car, and tossed my bag into the backseat, and Alec started the car. We drove in silence for the first few minutes, which was nice, since it had been so long since we'd hung out. So after a few moments of comfortable silence Alec spoke up.

"What's up?" He sighed.

"What?"

"Clary, I may have been gone for a while, but that doesn't mean I've already forgotten how you guys act when you're irritated." He glance's at me. "What's wrong?"

I was truly touched by Alec's concern, since he usually wasn't the one to worry about other people's feelings, but I honestly didn't want to talk about it. So..."How did you and Magnus meet?"

He glanced at me again, but didn't say anything about the change of subject. "He asked me to speak with him after class, very professionally actually, and then proceeded to ask me on a date."

I raised my eyebrows. "So-He's your professor?"

"Yep." He said turning a corner.

"How long had you been in the class before he asked you out?"

He cleared his throat. "It was the first day."

My eyebrows went up higher. "You said no?"

"No, I said yes."

I started to smile. "Wow, you must really like him, given that you started dating him the day you guys met."

He smiled. "I do."

We reached the school within ten minutes, and I was of course ridiculously late. I thanked Alec and hurried into the school. I was about a half-an-hour late, and my class was halfway through. I think that was the only time I had ever been glad my first class was P.E. So I practically tiptoed down the long starkly white halls, and I was thinking about just not going to class, when I turned a corner and ran directly into a wall of human flesh. I stumbled back from the impact, and glanced up to see that the person I had run into was none other than Seelie Fae. She looked mildly stunned, and I was honestly surprised she didn't fall over in her six-inch open-toe pumps and skin-tight jeans. But she stood steadily. Her stunned expression quickly morphed into one of recognition, and then one of suspicion. Before I knew what was happening, she had pulled me into a nearby Janitors closet, and was pointing one of her well manicured finger in my face.

"All right, spill."

I blinked, and shoved her away from me. "What?"

"You heard me. Where's Sebastian? He left with you yesterday, and he's not at school, and he won't answer _any_ of my calls or texts, where the heck is he?" Her voice was raised, and I started to get worried someone would hear us.

Once I was sure no one had, I answered her question. "Sebastian was sick, he's at my house sleeping." I was surprised by how calmly my voice came out, because I was boiling inside. I was still pretty mad about my brother, sleep deprived, and had someone who I had just met almost die. I wasn't in the mood. The only reason I hadn't screamed at her, was because I didn't want to draw attention, she was Sebastian's girlfriend, and she seemed genuinely concerned.

She stared me for a second, like she was waiting for me to continue. "What happened?"

I licked my lips at her tone, she seemed almost as if she felt it was her right to know. I was also getting anxious, I'd gone almost 24 hours without falling asleep and now I was in a janitor's closet. No one knew where I was, Kaelie didn't know about my condition, and I was running late for class. I took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. "Give me your number, I'll call you later and tell you what happened, but right now I'm late for class. Okay?"

She pressed her lips together and opened the door. In the bright fluorescent lights I could see that her skin had taken on a pale pasty complexion, and I could see a thin sheen of sweat coating her skin. She walked out and turned to me. "Fine."

"Alright." I said retrieving my phone from my bag and stepping into the hall. "What's your number?"

She stared at the floor.

"Kaelie?"

She glanced up at me. "Ah, sorry, what?" She started breathing hard. "Is it hot in here to you?"

I shook my head.

She walked over to a row of lockers and leaned against them, panting. "He said, this wouldn't happen." She muttered under her breath. I notice her face wasn't completely pale. It was slightly flushed, as if she had a fever. I walked towards her, remembering how she had been the closest one to Sebastian. I touched her arm gingerly, she snatched it away, but not before I felt how warm her skin was.

I caught her before she hit the ground

* * *

**Boom!**

**I hope it was kind of worth the wait.**

**If not, leave a comment telling me why, and I will try to make sure the next chapter is up to par. Let me know what you did or didn't like about this chapter, and thanks a gazillion for reading.**

**Until the next chapter.**


	5. So, What Happened?

**Hey guys,**

**Okay...I'm late...I know.**

**I literally haven't written a single sentence all week, so it took me far too long to revise this chapter. I am extremely sorry, but in my defense I did warn you this could happen, nevertheless I'm still sorry.**

**Anyways, here is chapter five. I hope you like it. As per usual I apologize for any unintended grammar mistakes, I actually realized that when I "read" over a chapter...I skip the last half, and don't realize it. If my writing in the past chapters looked like that of a second grader, please tell me. If this chapter looks that way...please tell me.**

**As always I pray you like this chapter, and enjoy reading it, as much or more, than I did writing it.**

**Again, thank you so much for the support. It keeps me updating, and writing, and it means so much.**

**But without further ado.**

**-Darkling Princess**

* * *

So...What happened?

Fainting is a significant part of my life.

But surprisingly enough it doesn't happen that often, not outside of my illness or to anyone around me. Just because I'm accustomed to losing consciousness, doesn't mean I'm used to people around me doing the same. Needless to say I was not the picture of serenity when Kaelie fell unconscious.

I caught her mid-fall, and eased her to the ground. My mind was swarming with thoughts, although the one at the forefront of my mind was the fact that I was standing in the hall over Kaelie's limp body. I ran my hand through my wild, tangled hair. I yanked my phone from out of my back pocket to check the time.

8:54

I inhaled deeply. Class ended at nine-o-clock, so I had six minutes.

Six minutes.

In hindsight, perhaps sprinting to the nurses office and leaving Kaelie in the janitor's closet wasn't the best idea. But I couldn't think of anything else. Once all of the kids began to file out of the classes it would be harder to get Kaelie help, and I didn't want to make a scene. It would be best to get the nurse to her, and then the nurse would probably know what to do next. With this in mind I raced down the halls. We had gotten Sebastian to Alec and Magnus within ten minutes. Even so when we arrived he had a record breaking temperature. No matter how much I didn't care for her, I didn't want to find out what would happen to Kaelie if I waited a second longer. So I ran. Our school is enormous, so much that it has several entrances. The walk across school is approximately eight minutes. I needed to get the doctor to Kaelie in less than ten. I didn't slow down for anything. The air was whisking my hair up and across my face, my converse were pounding against the tiled floor. I don't think I'd ever allowed myself to run that fast before.

I reached the other end of the school in less than five minutes.

I burst through the door to the sound of heavy breathing and the rustling of curtains. I didn't think twice before calling out.

"Nurse!"

The sounds immediately stopped. The Nurse, I checked her crooked name tag, Rose, stepped from behind the curtain disheveled. I could still make out another faint silhouette through the curtain, but I didn't ask. I didn't even ask about her frizzy hair, or her red cheeks. I didn't wait for her to attempt to explain herself. I just cut to the chase. "A girl passed out in the hall." I sucked in a breath. "And she's running a really high fever." Rose's expression changed instantly. Within the blink of an eye she went from disoriented to deadly focused, and she began striding towards the back of the room.

"Where is she?"

"At the other..." I tried to catch my breath.

She glanced back at me, concerned. "You okay?"

I put my hands on my knees and held up a finger for her to wait. She spun around and gathered somethings from closets, shelves, and cabinets built into the wall and shoved them into a bag. I tried to take deep breaths, but my chest felt like it was on fire.

Without turning around Rose said, "Stand up and place your hands behind your head, it opens up your airways." She started walking towards the door. "Where is she babe?"

I did as she said, and managed to choke out, "In the Janitor's closet at the..." I exhaled. "Other end of the school."

She nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket, and started dialing a number. "I'm going to need you to show me where she is there are a lot of Janitor's closets, and...Jack,"

"Yes?" A voice from behind me answered. I jumped, and turned to see a tall, equally disgruntled man, who looked to be around Rose's age standing behind me.

Rose puts the phone to her ear. "I'm going to need you to come with us to help carry her back to my office, so the uh..." She trails off and held up a finger. She walks away and start speaking calmly into the phone. I glanced back at the man named Jack. He was gazing at Rose with a sort of marvel in his eyes. I don't blame him. I'd told her someone's passed out and she had barely batted an eye, but there was something else in his expression besides admiration. I recognized it as the way Jace looked at me sometimes. Just then Rose spun around, ending the call.

"What was I saying?"

I opened my mouth, but she continued.

"Oh, right. Jack, I'm going to need you to help us get her back here before the paramedics come, I just called them, and they're on their way, so we need to hurry." She turned to me. "Clary, are you ready?"

I nodded, the pain in my chest having lessened. She nodded towards the door. "Well Let's go then."

She opened the door and the three of us raced out into the hall. We were no more than halfway there, when the bell rang, and students began to file out of class.

We all slowed fractionally, but no sooner had we done so did Rose gesture for us to speed back up. I was practically incapacitated at this point, but I pushed my self to keep going by focusing straight ahead. Because of this I wasn't using my peripheral vision, and couldn't stop myself from running directly in front of the path of a student crossing the hallway.

I found myself laying on the ground with a stinging pain in my shoulder before I could register what had happened.

I heard someone say, "Whoops, my bad." I saw a hand floating above and grabbed it. The girl who had helped me up gave me an apologetic half-smile. "Sorry, but, ah, no running in the hall-"

"I'm sorry but I really have to go." I said cutting her off. She didn't say anything as I rushed to catch up to Rose and Jack. They surprisingly hadn't noticed my absence. I poured on speed to catch up with them, and eventually we reached the closet. Rose flung open the door, and Jack gathered Kaelie into his arms. His eyes widened as he lifted her up.

He raised his eyebrows at Rose. "Rose, feel her temperature."

She did so, and soon her expression mirrored his. She started unzipping her bag. "Hold on."

I locked my fingers behind my head, and started pacing. Trying to dispel the pain in my chest, and also get air into my body. A few lagging students slowed to glance curiously at us, and then out of the corner of my eye I caught Rose pull out a syringe and promptly jam it in into a vein in Kaelie's wrist. I heard a few kids gasp.

I stepped towards her. "What was that?"

She tucked away the syringe. "Liquid hydration. It should lower her body temperature temporarily, or hopefully at least until we get her to the...Holy crap." Rose had taken out a thermometer, and put it behind Kaelie's ear, but now she froze, staring at the numbers displayed on the tiny screen.

Before I could even ask what happened, she had tucked away the thermometer and was once again sprinting down the hall, with a Kaelie-carrying Jack on her tail. I considered running after them, but I knew I wouldn't catch up no matter how hard I tried. The other kids gave me questioning looks, some even looked tempted to ask me what happened, but they eventually headed off to their respective classes, and I was left alone in the long tiled corridor. After a few minutes of pacing I managed to catch my breath. It was then that I stood there trying to decide what to do next. I leaned against a locker, trying to think.

In the end I decided to text Jace.

_Me: Hey. R U in class?_

For a moment I received no reply. Jace had no issue doing things like texting in class or ditching school, mostly because he did it to be with his brother, Max, but sometimes he had his own motives. I was about to head to class, and risk a trip to the principal, when my phone chimed.

_Jace: No, where are you? I was waiting at your locker forever._

I mentally slapped myself. Usually Jace and I will meet at my locker for second period, since we have the same class, so he can walk with me. I felt a pang of guilt, but ignored it. I had needed to help Kaelie.

_Me: SBT i got caught up n a little situation_

_Jace: What situation?_

I paused. I hadn't skipped a day of school since third grade, and I worked extremely hard to keep my grades high, but...I needed a break. Several different, altogether overwhelming things had happened in the past twenty-four hours, and taking a moment to sit and talk to someone about things seemed really tempting.

_Me: Can u b at school n 10_

_Jace: Make it five, if you can correct your grammar._

_Me: Ss sul ttyl_

_Jace: … _

_Jace: Meet at the school courtyard?_

_Me: Sys_

I locked my phone and shoved it into my back pocket, already heading towards the nearest school entrance. I was careful to be quiet enough, so any patrolling school officials wouldn't hear me as I slipped through the metal door leading outside.

The second I stepped a foot outside I was hit by a fortress of frigid air, and I felt a tingling sensation slither down my back. I pulled my coat tighter around me, assuming it was a shiver from the low temperature.

I knew it wasn't.

When I was younger, before I was diagnosed, I would play hide and seek with my brother. Because of my size, and the size of our house, he could never find me when I hid. I knew the best nooks and crannies that would conceal my small frame. It would rile him up to the point where his competitiveness would ruin our fun, so I was usually the seeker. Whenever I was in his proximity the hairs on the back of my neck would stand on end, and I would get the same tingling feeling in my back. A feeling that I was being watched. Thanks to my intuition I would usually find Jonathon before the allotted time was up. It gave me an advantage.

I had been getting that feeling more and more over the course of the semester, and because of the weather I had presumed it was the low temperatures provoking this reaction, but the more I thought about it, the less sure I was.

I carefully assessed my surroundings, as I had done dozens of times before. I found nothing out of the ordinary. From my place at the top of the steps, I could see an elderly couple sipping from steaming cups at the café across the street from our school. There was a group of joggers bounding down the pavement below me. And a middle-aged man at a park bench with his back to me, taking a picture of a toddling little girl feeding a small flock of birds. I shook off the ominous feeling, and headed for the courtyard.

As promised Jace arrived in his sleek, ebony vehicle in less than five minutes. I hurried across the grass and weeds, and climbed into the car. Practically before I could close the door we were off. Speeding towards our unknown destination.

Jace slowed to a stop at a red light, and turned to me, expectant. "Alright. Spill."

I gave him a look, but didn't hesitate before explaining what had happened with Kaelie. He didn't speak until I was finished. When he did speak he said, "That still doesn't explain why you were late for school."

I looked at him. He didn't seem unfazed by what I claimed had happened, but I could tell he was far more concerned with what I wasn't telling him. I would much rather tell him what had conspired between me and John, instead of leaving the cause of my tardiness to his imagination, but...I still wasn't entirely sure what had gone down between John and I. I wasn't even sure how I felt about it. I was mad as heck, sure. But I still needed him to look out for me, and when I left it seemed like that was the last thing he wanted to do. He had been there for me for so long without a problem, it seemed like someone had flipped a switch.

I decided I would talk to Jace about it later, despite that being one of the prime reasons I wanted to talk to him. I turned my attention towards our surroundings. "Where are we going?"

He glances at me, taking note of the change of subject, although he doesn't mention it. "You'll see, patience Red."

I scoff. "Says the guy nicknamed 'Mr. Impatient'"

"First of all the only person who's ever called me that is Isabelle. Second, I obviously have to have patience. Otherwise how would I put up with you?" He nodded at me.

I shook my head, but I couldn't stop myself from smiling a bit. "I think you've got it twisted Charming." I say using the nickname I came up with for him, during my obsessive Once Upon a Time phase. "Last time I checked it was the other way around-" I cut myself off as one of my favorite songs came onto the radio, which up until now had just been melodious background noise. My face immediately broke into a grin.

Jace looked at me, confused, but I watched realization dawn on him as I turned up the volume. He rolled his eyes as the acoustic guitar started playing. "Seriously? I thought you were past this."

I shook my head. "I'll never be past it."

Soon enough my throat was raw from belting out the lyrics to Shawn Mendes, and I gulped down water as we turned into Stokes Park. Jace rolled to a stop on the gravelly parking lot in front of a softball field. He handed me my old, sad, beautiful glove and climbed out of the car. I was less than half-a-second behind him. He popped open the trunk and pulled out a bucket of balls and a glove of his own. I inhaled the dusty cold air, and smiled. My love for softball is the only thing that came close to rivaling my love for art. I pushed my hand into my glove and grabbed Jace's bag. Together we trekked to the dugout. When we got there, and had put the stuff down I enveloped Jace in a hug. I had needed this without realizing it, I could take out all of my frustration and confusion on the ball, and I could retreat from the rest of the world. Burrow myself in the game.

I released Jace, headed out into the sunlight, and we started throwing.

It was freezing outside, but with my muscles constantly moving, and my heart pumping, I warmed myself up. We threw, pitched, caught, batted, and practiced the bases. By the time we were finished, we were glistening with sweat, and I was feeling a lot better than when we had arrived. Jace handed me a Gatorade from the cooler in his trunk, and sitting on top of his car, in between gulps I finally told him what had happened with Jonathon prior to my departure.

"I don't know what's wrong with him." I exclaimed, once I finished. "He has never acted this way before, and I'm starting to think it's because of Kaelie." I took another sip. "I mean ever since he's been going out with her, I swear he's been different. More distant." I concluded. I didn't voice the fact that I doubted Kaelie would have been the only reason he said those things. He seemed so sure of himself when he spoke, like he been holding his feelings back for some time. I would ponder that later.

Jace seemed thoughtful for a moment, considering all I had said. "I've known John for as long as I've known you." He said. He was right his friendship with John was the reason we met. "And I've always admired his dedication to you. I asked him about it once, and he told me that he just didn't want anything to happen to you. I asked him if he ever got tired of worrying about you, and he told me it didn't matter, because you were more important than anything he might feel."

I raised my eyebrows.

He nodded. "Yeah, he said that. I'm just saying he cares about you a lot, and this isn't like him. Something's up." Catching my expression he added. "It might have to with Zara, it might not."

"What do think?"

He gave me a sideways glance. "I think it most likely has something to do with Zara." He admitted.

I sighed. "Well, I guess we'll have to wait and find out what that is." I slid off the hood of the car.

He narrowed his eyes at me, as I finished off my drink and tossed my bottle into the garbage. "Clarissa Adele Fray. What are you thinking?"

I laughed. "Nothing." I lied. "Come on, my mom's going to freak, if I'm late getting back."

He slid gracefully off the hood, but didn't cease giving me suspicious looks the entire way back.

We arrived only five minutes later than I would usually be home by bus. I was about to get out of the car when Jace spoke. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

Jace had asked me that question several time during our ride back, and this time I answered the same as I had before. "Yes, I'm sure. I'll probably have Simon or Izzy come over so I can rant to them, plus I'm going to have to talk to my mom about Sebastian's episode, and see if he's awake." I turned towards my house. "Not to mention, I think I can handle him on my own." I gave Jace a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for today. I had fun, and it's been way too long."

He gave me a smile. "Yeah, it has." He took the car out of park. "Meet me after school tomorrow? Same place?"

I pretended to consider it, but then smiled. "Maybe..."

He grinned as he pulled out of the driveway. "Come on Fray, you know you can't resist this." He winked, and I watched him head down our street, until he turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

I reluctantly spun around to face my house, and all that was inside it. I took a deep breath in, a deep breath out, and headed up the walkway. I pushed open the door to...silence. I scanned the living room, empty. I walked into the kitchen, empty. It wasn't until I checked the dining room that I found Sebastian and John sitting opposite each other staring intensely, and not as a competition. Sebastian seemed indifferent, but I had never seen John so angry. His face was red and splotchy, his eyes were bloodshot, and his posture was stiff and unyielding.

Sebastian seemed perfectly at ease, although his complexion and eyes still showed signs of his previous condition he seemed perfectly calm. He turned to me as I entered the room. "Hello Clary, how was school?"

I glanced between the two of them. John hadn't even glanced at me, he was too busy shooting daggers at Sebastian.

I dropped my bag on the floor, and approached the table. "Fine, I guess. Is everything okay?"

Sebastian nodded. "Everything's pristine." He gave John a pointed look. "Right Jonathon?"

John stood up and stormed out of the room.

I slowly lowered myself into the seat John had previously occupied. "What was that about?" I asked Sebastian, analyzing his demeanor.

He met my eyes. "What happened yesterday?"

"That doesn't answer my question." I said.

He looked skyward and shook his head. "Your brother needed a favor, and I was trying to help him out." He smiled tightly. "That's all. Now please tell me what happened."

I set my jaw. "What kind of favor?"

"Clary, please." He looked at me in away that reminded me of how desperate I am to fill in the gaps whenever I pass out. How badly I need to figure out what I had missed, what had conspired. The desperation in his eyes was the only reason I conceded.

"You passed out, leaving Zara's house. The hospital was too far away, so we took you to Jace's house." Upon seeing his perplexed expression I elaborated. "Jace's brother was visiting from studying medicine at NYU, so we tried to get him to help you...you were running a...really high fever. They were barely able to lower it." I bit my lip and repressed a shudder remembering my hallucination from that night. "Alec's...professor came too. He did most of the work, and they gave you antioxidants that knocked you out for... a while." I ran through that hectic night again. "And..yeah that's it. You just need to drink a lot of fluids to help keep you hydrated."

He nodded, taking it in. "Do you think you could introduce me to them?"

"Who?"

"Alex and...Magnum?" He said, hesitantly. "I'd like to thank them, from what I understand, they pretty much saved my life."

"Of course." I said immediately, smiling at his attempt to remember their names. "I'll try to take you, when you're feeling better...Oh, Magnus said you should probably get checked out. Just in case."

Something flashed in his eyes that I couldn't identify. "I don't think that's necessary."

I frowned. "Are you sure? You were doing pretty bad-"

"But I'm fine now." He assured me. "I'm feeling a lot better than when I left Zara's house anyways. I don't think I'll need a check up."

I looked him up and down again. He was looking a lot better than when we carried him in the previous night, but, still, I didn't want to take any chances. "Sebastian...you were running temperatures that were...record breakers to say the least. So high that Alec's professor had no idea what was wrong." I hadn't wanted to freak him out, but he needed to understand. "Whatever..._that _was, came out of nowhere, and we don't know anything about it, you could have a terminal illness for all we know-"

"But I'm getting_ better_. I'm telling you it's probably nothing to worry about." He interrupts.

I shook my head. "Even if you think you're fine, we don't even know if you're contagious. Today at school-" I'm cut off by Shawn Mendes's voice crooning the lyrics of "Stitches". My ringtone.

I strode over to my bag and kneeled down. Hurriedly unzipping the compartment that contained my phone. I reached in and grabbed the vibrating device. A picture of Jace taking a selfie, with me laughing in front of an easel in the background, appeared on the screen, I quickly answered the phone.

"Hello-"

"Clary, how fast can you get to the hospital?" Jace asked anxiously. It was his tone, and not his words that gave me pause.

"Jace what's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?" I stood up, heading to the garage for Jonathon's bike.

"I'll explain when you get here, I'm in the waiting room in the lobby." I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he was unharmed. But my relief was immediately replaced with further confusion. Why was he at the hospital then? Someone else must've gotten hurt.

"I'll be there in ten." I said confidently. The hospital was only a few blocks from my house, and if I hurried I could get there in six minutes.

"Okay." Was all he said before hanging up.

I yanked on a helmet, professionally ignoring how long it had been since I'd fallen asleep, how dangerous this one ride was. I had no choice, there was no way John would be taking me. I honestly wasn't sure he was fit to drive, not to mention the fact that he said I couldn't go for a walk without him, which was true. But it didn't mean I couldn't go for a ride. As for Sebastian I had a strange feeling about him, intuition I suppose, I didn't ever find out what him and John had been quarrelling about. I pictured John's hostile expression as he stalked out of the room. I forcefully pushed thoughts of John an Sebastian out of my mind, and instead I thought about Jace. I thought about how anxious and scared his voice had sounded. I thought about how many times he had been there for me when I was hurt, confused, or just out of it. I thought about how now this was my chance to be there for him.

But in the end,I really should've been thinking about the ditch running alongside sidewalk. If I had, I might have avoided what happened next, because without warning I...

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**It's a very untraditional cliffhanger with the unfinished sentence, but don't worry this is not _An Imperial Affliction. _Clary didn't die. **

**Or did she?**

**Please leave a review about what you did, or didn't like about this chapter, because I want to get better. And thanks a quadrillion for reading.**

**Until the next chapter...**


	6. What's Wrong?

**Hey Guys, **

**Oh my gosh it's a miracle, I actually updated on time, but I want to warn you ahead of time that I may not update next week. The reason for that is; I no longer have any premade chapters, and with classes starting up again soon, I need them in order to update regularly, not to mention they releive a lot of pressure and allow me to take my time with each chapter, and really do my best, most of the time anyways. But I will not be updating for a week or two.**

**Now that that's out of the way, I'm going to be setting up poll. You can go to my profile to vote (But don't read my profile, it's old and not very good). The poll is whether or not you would like to eventually see a segment from another character's point of view, because I'm not sure whether or not I should do that, and I want to know what you guys think. Also I just wanted to do a poll.**

**Lastly I'm sorry for any grammatical errors that I might have made, and I really hope you like this chapter, and I hope it doesn't sound sadistic to say I had fun writing this chapter, and I hope it's as intense as I tried to make it.**

**But please continue.**

**-Darkling Princess**

* * *

What's Wrong?

I startled awake to a throbbing pain and the distant sound of thunder.

I winced as I sat up, doing my best to ignore the dizziness that I was almost overcome with. I took in my surroundings. The sky was dark with storm clouds, so it was hard to tell what time of day it was. As I glanced around, taking in the mangled bike lying a few inches a few inches away, the steep slope on either side of me, I remembered what had happened. It seemed odd that my memories took so long to come back to me, but as I registered the pounding in my head, and felt the lump, I figured it out. I also discovered a sharp stinging pain in my thigh, but the worst, by far, was the pain in my ribs. Once it hit me, I could barely form coherent thoughts, but I managed to realize I was in a ditch, and I desperately needed to get out.

I know, someone should give me a Nobel prize.

The issue wasn't that the ditch was too steep, the issue was that my torso screamed in agony with every minor motion I made, and I was fairly certain that attempting to climb out of my crevice would result in me passing out from the pain, and then falling back into the ditch, but I had no other choice.

Wait.

I reached into my back pocket in search of my phone, which I had shoved in there on my way out. When I retrieved it I found the screen severely cracked and the case broken, but when I turned it on...it responded. About fifty missed calls from Johnathon, Isabelle, and Jace filled the screen.

But I still let out a breath of relief and unlocked my phone debating, who to call. I could call 911, but I thought about how terrified I was, when Jace called and decided against it. _When Jace called. _I checked the time frantically.

_9:28_

I did the math. I had been out for around six hours, which would undoubtedly send everyone I knew into a panic. Especially my mom, if she was home. So finally I decided to call Simon. I truly couldn't have handled confronting Jonathon at that time, Sebastian wasn't an option, Jace was having a crisis, my other friend Isabelle was most likely with Jace, and I needed someone who I could really talk to.

He answered on the second ring.

"Why do I feel like you did something stupid, and need my help?"

For a minute I was at a loss for words. But eventually I managed to respond. "Don't know." I answered, my voice sounding slightly hoarse from sleep. "But you're absolutely right. More than you know actually."

He sighed. "What's up?"

I almost laughed at how casual our conversation was, but the moment I started to, pain exploded in my ribs. I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Clary?"

I took a deep painful breath. "Yeah. Um, I fell asleep riding a bike on...uh" I racked my brain for the name of the street. "Roseman Blvd. I need you to come pick me up, the...ah...bike is totaled." I glanced at the useless piece of metal next to me.

Simon was silent for a moment. "What part of Roseman?" He asked. I could tell he was forcing his voice to remain calm, but I appreciated it.

I searched my memory again. "By the old playground, and the fire hydrant." I said.

He sighed again. "I'll be there in fifteen."

I let out a slow exhale, that would've been a sigh of relief. "Thank you Simon." I said sincerely. I hesitated before adding, "And can you bring a first aid kit. Fully stocked."

Silence.

"Simon-"

"Yeah...yeah, see you soon." He hung up.

I pushed my phone into my bra, and took more painful deep breaths. I could tell from his tone of voice that Simon was livid. I couldn't remember the last time I had made Simon that angry, but I was not looking forward to him finding me like this. If _Simon _reacted like this, I couldn't even imagine what could've happened if I had called John. Not to mention I sort of withheld the fact that I was in a ditch, and I wasn't planning on him finding out.

I was going to climb out.

I knew the only reason he was this mad was because he cared about me, and I would have had the same reaction, probably worse, if the tables had been turned. That didn't make it any less scary to have your best friend from childhood furious with you. Plus I was going to have to get out of this ditch anyways, and I had a feeling having Simon drag me out, wouldn't be any less painful. Probably more so.

I painstakingly peeled off my coat. Hoping the cool air would help numb the pain.

It didn't.

I tried to see the easiest way to climb out, but I soon realized that no matter what route I took, I would have to stand up.

I checked my breathing, and although it hurt tremendously. I could breathe just fine.

I sucked in a breath, and rolled onto my stomach. I cried out as the stones at the bottom of the ditch dug into my injured torso, causing white to momentarily flood my vision.

I slowly got to my knees, which astonishingly wasn't as excruciating as I expected it to be. I tried to gulp for air which, did anything but help. It only sent fire racing across my mid section. Tears pooled behind my eyes, but I did manage to swallow down some oxygen.

I then sluggishly used the side of the ditch to pull myself upright, and each time I moved I felt like screaming. I, instead, bit my lip to the point where it bled, and kept my mouth shut.

Finally it was time to stand.

I tried my best to calm my breathing, but I was extremely unsuccessful, because every time I took a breath, my chest would ignite. But despite the pain I yanked my leg up, so my foot was flat on the ground. I was then on one knee. I yanked that one up too, and I gripped the grass beside me so tight to keep myself from falling on my back, that my knuckles turned white. I managed to balance enough to let go of the weeds and turn towards the road. I don't remember how much time had passed during my battle against pain, but it was too much. As the skies began to open up and thunder rumble in the distance, I spotted slowly approaching headlights.

I put my foot on a stone, and heaved my small body out of the ditch, screaming from the effort, until I finally collapsed on the sidewalk with black spots dancing across my vision, and in less than a minute I sensed a car stop beside me.

I heard someone curse under their breath. A car door opened and shut. "Holy...Clary?"

Simon.

I managed to mumble, "You're late." AlthoughI didn't actually know if he was late, but the time between, when I called him and when I climbed out of the ditch, seemed like an eternity.

He laughed humorlessly. "I'm early." I squeezed my eyes shut as they were assaulted by a bright light. "Holy crap, Clary, what the heck happened?"

I opened my eyes when the light moved away from my face. "I told you what happened."

"That doesn't explain where the heck all of this blood came from." He exclaimed.

"Blood?"

Sure enough I looked down to see blood coating the side of my thigh. I supposed that was why my leg was throbbing. I sat up, gasping from that oh-so-familiar pain. "Just help me get in the car." I said quietly.

"Clary-"

"Please." I said. The rain was coming down harder, and soon I would be drenched.

Simon nodded solemnly. He helped me to my feet, which was thankfully, easier than doing it alone, and I leaned into him, once I was successfully standing. We wrapped our arms around each other, and slowly staggered to the car. Despite out effort by the time he had carried me to his car we were both sopping wet, and I was shivering uncontrollably.

He laid me down in the back seat, and climbed in too to inspect my injuries. It was a squeeze, but by laying the top half of my body across his lap he managed to make it work. He reached for what I presumed was a first aid kit, and opened it on the floor.

He frowned. "Where's the bike?"

I swallowed. "It fell into the ditch."

Simon nodded. He pulled out a pair of delicate scissors. I felt him take a deep breath, and he began cutting away my pant leg, to the point where I had on half-boy shorts, half-pants. He sucked in a breath, seeing the deep ragged gash running from my knee to a couple inches below my waist. It hadn't stopped bleeding. He brought out some antiseptic, a water bottle, and a small bottle of pills.

and He gave me the pills and the water. "Painkillers." He explained. "Cleaning this...cut is gonna sting like crazy, trust me you want to have these."

I nodded and knocked them back.

He met my eyes as I gulped down the rest of the water. Not realizing how parched I was. "Remind me again, why we aren't going to the hospital?"

I inhaled deeply after I finished off the water and winced. "The hospital would call my fa-family." I explained, stuttering from the cold. He produced another bottle of water, and poured it over the wound, washing away the blood. I flinched at the pressure and the temperature, but continued to speak to distract myself. "I know they're g-going to be...furious to say the l-least, and I don't think I can deal with my br-brother...plus Jace is already at the hospital, and I'd hate to p-put him under more-" I paused as he applied the antiseptic. Bracing for pain that...actually never came.

Through his focus he finally heard the clattering of my teeth. He blinked. "You're freezing." He shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't think to bring a coat, but there are some blankets in the trunk, I'll grab them." He slowly slid from under me and hurried around back to grab the blankets. The heat was on in the car, but it was weak, because we weren't moving. So I shivered silently until he came back. A loud clap of thunder made me jump, I winced. I can't say I wasn't furious with myself for getting into that situation. If I would've just swallowed my pride and asked John, I could have avoided it entirely. I could've been at the hospital comforting my boyfriend, and finding out why he was at the hospital in the first place, but instead I was in the back of Simon's car with a broken rib, blood spewing from a wound, and shaking from the cold, while Jace was...alone. Guilt rammed into me like a tsunami, pushing me down with incomparable strength, so I pushed the thought out of my head. Something I've been doing more, and more often, I instead focused on breathing, and in a couple seconds Simon was back with several blankets, and soon I was cocooned in fabric, while Simon tended to my wound.

We were both silent, but after a few minutes of tension, I had to break it.

"It doesn't sting."

Simon glanced up at me. "That could be due to the painkillers, but it really shouldn't hurt too bad, the nerves were actually mostly covered with dried blood, so it gave your cut time to scab..." He trailed off. "How long were you lying there Clary?"

I hesitated.

"Clary." He stopped tending to my wound.

I let out huff of air, immediately regretting it, I grimaced as my chest flared up with pain again. "Six hours." I mumbled as incoherently as possible.

"What?"

"Six hours." I spoke more clearly, but in a whisper.

Simon rested his elbow on the door and massaged his temples. "You've been lying out here. Unconscious. For six hours?" He said it so calmly my heart skipped an aching beat. I didn't say anything. It was a rhetorical question. "How...why...where...?" He gathered his thoughts. "What made you decide to ride this far away from your house alone, without telling anyone where you were going?"

I looked away.

"Clary you could've been injured a lot worse than you are-or worse. Just tell me you have a semi-rational reason."

My eyes flitted back to him. "Jace called-"

"Oh, great, Jace. I should've known-"

"He said he was at the hospital."

That shut Simon up momentarily.

I took a long agonizing breath and continued. "He asked me how fast I could get there, and...I was just really worried. I couldn't ask my brother-"

"Why?" Simon asked incredulously.

"He's been..." I searched for the words. "Different lately. And I barely know Sebastian, so I figured I could go-"

"Clary..."

"I needed...need to be there for him like he's been for me, and I just..." I swallowed back a lump in my throat. "I just wanted to do something on my own, you know?" My vision turned glossy with unshed tears, but I valiantly held them back.

Simon's expression softened. "I know, but Clary..."

"Just take care of the cut. Please?"

He nodded. "Sure." He said, laying off the subject.

By the time he had cleaned and wrapped the gash in my leg, the painkillers had clicked in, and I was ready to tackle the next obstacle.

Simon was screwing the cap of a water bottle back on, and looked relieved that he was finished, which is why I felt terrible answering the next question he asked.

He sighed. "So...you good?"

"No."

He pressed his lips together. "What do you mean?"

"I-" I cleared my throat. "I think I may have broken my ribs."

He pressed his lips together harder and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, and after a moment he opened them, and once again retrieved the delicate little scissors. The next words he spoke came out significantly gentler. "Let's see it then."

He moved aside the blankets and cut away the fabric of my shirt, to survey the damage, but exposing me to the freezing air in the process. I focused on the low ceiling, not wanting to see the wreckage that was undoubtedly my torso. When Simon glimpsed my abdomen I felt heard him hiss through his teeth.

"What?" I demanded nervously.

"Ah...nothing. It-it looks like a broken rib." He stammered.

I bit my lip. "Can you fix it?"

He met my eyes. "Sort of-I mean the only thing you do, really is put ice on it regularly." He climbed into the front seat. "And rest. Resting is also important."

I frowned as he took the car out of park. "Where are we going?"

He pulled the car away from the curb. "You need to get home."

I opened my mouth to protest.

"You need to rest Clary."

I opened my mouth again.

"At your house, not mine." He somehow accidentally hit the curb and once again I felt my ribs explode. He glanced back at me. "Sorry! I'm sorry...you okay?"

I nodded.

"But you're going to have to go home eventually, and...yeah, anyways, I'll stay over if you want. I know your gonna get hell for leaving...and you said something was up with John..."

I thought about it for a moment. It would be nice to have someone there with me while John blew his top. Not to mention I hadn't had the chance to talk to John about Sebastian, so I would feel a lot better having Simon in the adjoining room, and he _had_ offered...

"Would you?"

"Of course."

The ride to my house wasn't nearly long enough, and once we parked in the driveway Simon jogged to my doorstep to get help carrying me in, seeing I couldn't walk that far, on my injured leg. I felt like I was walking the plank on some sort of pirate ship; I couldn't turn around and head back to safety, so I was just bracing my self to jump into the cold, dark, murky water, and hope that nothing too dangerous was awaiting me at the bottom.

In less than a minute Simon returned with John in tow.

My brother looked both relieved and apprehensive simultaneously. When Simon opened the door and we locked eyes...I relaxed. I could tell he was beyond furious, but for some reason only a fraction of his anger was directed towards me. I could tell by his gloomy expression as he took me in.

"Hey." I said quietly.

He didn't respond. He just motioned for Simon to move out of the way, and gathered me into his arms. I bit my lip to keep my self from crying out. I didn't want to show John exactly how hurt I was. Simon noticed as he lumbered behind us with the first aid kit in the freezing cold and the pouring rain. He sent me an empathetic smile.

Once we arrived inside Simon politely instructed John to lay me on the couch, and he headed into the kitchen, I assumed to get an icepack, and Jonathon quietly sunk into the armchair adjacent to me, and although he didn't speak I could feel the anger and frustration coming off of him in waves.

Simon returned a minute or so later with a large cold compress and a sweatshirt. He helped me apply the compress to the right area, and I shrugged on the sweatshirt, wincing. Once that was done Simon seated himself in the loveseat across from John and I, and waited for John to explode.

He just sat there.

We waited a few moments in a loaded silence, until John finally spoke up.

"Are you even going to try to explain what happened?" He snapped irritably.

I pursed my lips. "Jace called from the hospital, and he said he needed me to come, immediately. He sounded really stressed, and I wanted to be there for him so I went."

I saw John clench his jaw out the corner of my eye. "Why didn't you ask me to drive you? Even Sebastian would have been better than you going alone!" He raised his voice at the last part, but I paid no heed.

"Why?" I demanded, shivering. Being out in the rain, in wintertime, practically shirtless, isn't the best idea. "The hospital is, what, four blocks away? It's only like a ten minute ride, and that's if you're going _slow._"

He scoffed. "Like you would know." He said icily.

I bit my lip to trying to hide how much that hurt, but the worst part was that he was right. I didn't know. The last time I had ridden that far was in elementary school, and it's not like I remembered how long that took. I shared a look with Simon, who looked as shocked as I felt.

John continued. "You still haven't answered my question."

"What question?" I replied just as coldly.

"What happened?"

I frowned. "I answered your question, I said that Jace called-"

"That doesn't explain why you came home six hours later with a giant purple bruise on your side, covered in blood and dirt." He said, his voice raising a bit.

I sat up. Simon started to get to help, but I waved him away. I wanted to be at eye level with Jonathon, and I wanted to get there on my own. I'd had enough.

Once I had sat up I looked Jonathon right in his bloodshot eyes. "That's really funny." I said forcibly smiling. "Because you made it pretty clear how you felt about helping me this morning, and now something bad happened because **_you _**weren't there, you want to throw a hissy fit?" I said disbelieving, but proud of my steady voice, and the flash of guilt across his features only egged me on. "If you must know, although I think you already do, I fell asleep. I fell asleep while I was riding, and I fell off the freaking bike, is that what you wanted to hear?" I was letting my anger gush out, and it felt great. "Yeah, You're right. I can't take a walk, I can't ride a bike, and I can't drive for more than fifty feet, but my boyfriend said he needed me and I was going to be there for him, and I didn't need to go upstairs and have you tell me whether or not I could." I leaned back into the couch. "I don't know what's up, but you need to get it together Jonathon. If you can't, let me know, and I'll find someone else to depend on."

John gaped at me in shock. I took this opportunity to turn to an equally shocked Simon. "Simon, can you help me get to my bathroom please?"

He blinked. "Yeah, of course." He walked over, and helped me up from the couch. Once I was in a standing position I immediately regretted it, but I bit the inside of my cheek and with Simon's help I made my way to my bedroom. One step after the next.

At the doorway I glanced back at John. He was pale, his eyes red-rimmed, perfectly matching his nose, his lips were dry and chapped, and he looked...agitated and sad. His eyes dart around the room for a moment before he closed them and cradled his head in his hands.

Simon nudged me to go past the doorway, and I did.

I stepped into my bedroom leaning heavily against Simon, and shut the door behind me.

* * *

**Was that good? I hope that was good.**

**Thanks for reading. Let me know if this was overdramatic, or if I dragged out the whole ditch scene longer than necessary. **

**Thanks a quintillion for reading, and I really hope you liked it. Leave a review for what you did or didn't like, and let me know if you will want to see a chapter from someone else's perspective.**

**I promise to update a soon as I can, but..**

**Until the next chapter...**


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